Belize

In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy, tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government’s expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, though growth slipped to 3.8% in 2008, 0% in 2009, and 1.5% in 2010 as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters, and the drop in the price of oil. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered economic growth. Exploration efforts continue and production increased a small amount in 2009. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden. In February 2007, the government restructured nearly all of its public external commercial debt, which helped reduce interest payments and relieved some of the country’s liquidity concerns. A key objective remains the reduction of poverty and inequality with the help of international donors.

$2.652 billion (2010 est.)

$2.613 billion (2009 est.)

$2.613 billion (2008 est.)

$1.431 billion (2010 est.)

1.5% (2010 est.)

0% (2009 est.)

3.6% (2008 est.)

$8,400 (2010 est.)

$8,500 (2009 est.)

$8,700 (2008 est.)

120,500

13.1% (2009)

8.2% (2008)

33.5% (2002 est.)

26.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

4.1% (2010 est.)

-1.1% (2009 est.)

12% (31 December 2009)

12% (31 December 2008)

14.08% (31 December 2009 est.)

14.14% (31 December 2008 est.)

$389.5 million (31 December 2010 est)

$336.5 million (31 December 2009 est)

$1.351 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.084 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.291 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.036 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber

garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

1.4% (2010 est.)

213.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

198.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

248.4 million kWh (2005)

3,990 bbl/day (2009 est.)

7,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

2,260 bbl/day (2007 est.)

7,204 bbl/day (2007 est.)

6.7 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

-$151 million (2010 est.)

-$93.3 million (2009 est.)

$404 million (2010 est.)

$381.9 million (2009 est.)

sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood, crude oil

US 30.7%, UK 29.77%, Nigeria 4.9%, Cote d’Ivoire 4.45% (2009)

$740 million (2010 est.)

$620.5 million (2009 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

US 33.65%, Mexico 14.17%, Cuba 8.51%, Guatemala 6.75%, Spain 6.07%, China 4.12% (2009)

$219 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$213.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.01 billion (2009 est.)

$954.1 million (2008 est.)

Belizean dollars (BZD) per US dollar - 2 (2010), 2 (2009), 2 (2008), 2 (2007), 2 (2006)